Have you ever shipped luggage to a cruise? Alan and I are sending two pieces of luggage ahead to Hong Kong when we cruise on Seabourn Sojourn later this month, which is why we’ll be packing two weeks early. Why? Our cruising friends recommended it to us for arriving fresh and not beat up from hefting heavy luggage around. Of course we still need to stay within airline weight guidelines because we’ll be schlepping our bags home from Vancouver—connection time is tight and we didn’t want to risk missing the plane because the luggage hadn’t been picked up. Besides, I’m not THAT much of an over-packer. Fifty lbs per bag will do just fine. In fact, I always aim for a couple of pounds under.

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One of the benefits of frequent cruising are the perks. As a Platinum Seabourn club member, we receive 15% off luggage forwarding. What will I do with the savings? Watch out, Alan! I’m headed to Chico’s.com (but more about that next week).

Since we’re talking about packing, here’s proof that I can pack light when necessary:

Hi everyone! Well, I’m back from a great vacation to the Florida Keys. We explored the islands a bit, but I absolutely loved Key West. It’s such a unique place. The Hemingway House was a hit with the entire family as well as watching the sunset at Mallory Square. I’d have to say my favorite thing, though, was kayaking through the Mangroves. We saw iguanas, pelicans, creepy little crabs and tons of little critters. Thankfully, no sighting of the 6-foot crocodile that reportedly lives in that particular area. Have you been to the keys?

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This Week’s Articles

Would you rather travel to Europe? Here’s a golden oldie (but updated) article that Donna wrote: If you only have one day to spend in Cinque Terre. (Sorry, but she’s too busy packing and working on the newsletter to write a new article this week).

By the way, did you see our AWESOME April newsletter featuring off-the-beaten-path National Park travel? Take a look.

Meet our newest advertiser (and a favorite travel resource):

When Alan and I begin searching for flights to our next cruise, we conduct a search on Skyscanner to find the most convenient flights with the best prices. It’s a great tool for researching flights. After finding the flight that’s right for us, we go to the airline website to see if their price matches the one we found on Skyscanner. When it comes to airlines and hotels, always book direct, if you can. Be sure to download their app for researching while you’re on the road: Skyscanner iOS App Download or Skyscanner Android App Download

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About Nicole

Presently living in Madrid, Nicole enjoys the guilty pleasure of forcing her cute Spanish husband to take her to various European cities in order to explore beautiful cities, profound history, and distinct cultures that can be found throughout Europe. Her travel articles and photos have been published in various publications as well as her own blog, Pass the Ham. And of course, she's currently enjoying her post as assistant editor at My Itchy Travel Feet.